Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep drawn together at WTA Finals as the cream of ladies' tennis gather for Official Draw Ceremony

• The world's top female tennis players came together on Friday prior to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals in Singapore
• Serena Williams was not at the Official Draw Ceremony as she has opted out of playing in the tournament
• Simona Halep, Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta are in a formidable looking Red Group

By Reuters Reporter

Published: 09:45 EST, 23 October 2015 | Updated: 10:45 EST, 23 October 2015

Top seed Simona Halep was pooled with Grand Slam winners Maria Sharapova and Flavia Pennetta in a formidable looking Red Group for the end-of-season WTA Finals on Friday.

With world No 1 and defending champion Serena Williams opting out after narrowly missing out on a rare calendar Grand Slam, Halep is the highest seed for the eight woman end-of-season championships which begins on Sunday.

Halep, who lost to Williams in the final last year after beating the American in the pool stage, was drawn against Italian Pennetta, who lifted a shock US Open title after compatriot Roberta Vinci beat Williams in the last four.

(Front, left to right) Lucie Safarova, Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep, Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta, (Back, left to right) Abigail Spears, Raquel Kops-Jones, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Chan Hao-chin, Chan Yung-jan, Sania Kristina Mladenovic, Timea Babos, Caroline Garcia, Katarina Srebotnik, Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka

Sharapova (centre) answers a question during the Official Draw Ceremony prior to the end-of-season WTA Finals in Singapore

She may have been troubled by an injury streak recently but Sharapova insists she is now ready for the WTA Finals

Sharapova (left) poses for the cameras prior to the ceremony, as does Kvitova (right), who wore a backless dress in front of the crowd

(From left to right) Pennetta, Radwanska, Sharapova, Halep, WTA President Micky Lawler, Muguruza, Kvitova, Kerber and Safarova

The Romanian, winner at Indian Wells earlier this year, will also take on Russian multiple grand slam winner Sharapova, who lost in the Australian Open final to Williams in January.

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, who won her 16th career title in China last week, rounded out the group from which the top two will advance to the semi-finals after round robin play.

Awaiting them will be the heavy hitters of the White Group, where Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza of Spain and twice champion of the grass court major Petra Kvitova were pooled together.

They were joined by Germany's Angelique Kerber, who completed the rare feat of winning WTA titles on green clay, red clay, grass and hard courts this year.

Czech Lucie Safarova, who only qualified for the singles field on Thursday, was the other player in the group.

Safarova, the world No 9 and French Open runner-up, will also play in the doubles with American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands where she has been drawn in the same pool as Muguruza and partner Carla Suarez Navarro.

She may have been troubled by an injury streak recently but Sharapova - who seemed to be the key attraction at the Official Draw Ceremony for the event - has insisted that she is ready for the WTA Finals.

The 28-year-old retired with forearm pain at the China Open last month, after a leg strain kept her out of the sport following her 6-2, 6-4 loss to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon semi-finals on July 9.

But Sharapova has now admitted, 'I had a bit of a roadblock in China but towards the end of the season, it's no surprise that injuries come up here and there… You have to take care of your body.'

'I haven't played long, it's not convenient but I'm healthy now,' she added.

'I spent the last few weeks healing up, and I came out here early to acclimatise. I had a consistent first half of the year and now it's the chance for me to get the last few months going.'

The BNP Paribas WTA Finals has been played since 1972 and has been staged in such noteworthy locations as Boca Raton, Los Angeles, New York City, Oakland, Munich, Madrid, Doha and Istanbul.

The WTA's season finale, to be held in Singapore from 2014 to 2018, is yet another example of the WTA's huge presence in Asia. 

Serena Williams has won the last three singles tournaments in the competition, and so her absence is sure to delight her counterparts.

Kvitova shares a joke with Radwanska (centre) as they walk away from the Old Supreme Court Building in Singapore

Sharapova steps out ahead of her fellow tennis professionals at the the official photoshoot for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals

The Russian (left), in a floral dress, looked focused on Friday ahead of the tournament which begins on Sunday

Serena Williams celebrates with the Billie Jean King trophy after defeating Romanian star Halep last October in Singapore

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